An iron-containing POM-based hybrid compound as a heterogeneous catalyst for one-step hydroxylation of benzene to phenol

It is a major challenge to perform one-pot hydroxylation of benzene to phenol under mild conditions, which replaces the environmentally harmful cumene method. Thus, finding highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts that can be recycled is extremely significant. Herein, a (POM)-based hybrid compound {[FeII(pyim)2(C2H5O)][FeII(pyim)2(H2O)][PMoV2MoVI9VIV3O42]}·H2O (pyim = 2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole) (Fe2-PMo11V3) was successfully prepared by hydrothermal synthesis using typical Keggin POMs, iron ions and pyim ligands. Single-crystal diffraction shows that the Fe-pyim unit in Fe2-PMo11V3 forms a stable double-supported skeleton by Fe–O bonding to the polyacid anion. Remarkably, due to the introduction of vanadium, Fe2-PMo11V3 forms a divanadium-capped conformation. Benzene oxidation experiments indicated that Fe2-PMo11V3 can catalyze the benzene hydroxylation reaction to phenol in a mixed solution of acetonitrile and acetic acid containing H2O2 at 60 °C, affording a phenol yield of about 16.2% and a selectivity of about 94%.